Introduction
On 9 April 2014, a Quest Kodiak-100 aircraft, registration PK-SDF, operated by PT. Adventist Aviation Indonesia, was involved in an accident during takeoff from Doyo Baru Airstrip in Papua. The aircraft was conducting a non-scheduled flight to Ninia Airstrip with one pilot and six passengers on board.
Flight Details
The pilot had performed three previous flights that day: Doyo Baru to Puldamat (2138-2228 UTC), Puldamat to Soya (2243-2247 UTC), and Soya to Doyo Baru (2256-2344 UTC). The flight to Ninia was estimated to take one hour at a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet. Fuel on board was sufficient for four hours of flight. Doyo Baru Airstrip is located approximately 10 nautical miles northwest of Sentani Airport (WAJJ). Air traffic control was provided by Sentani Tower.
Accident Sequence
At 0015 UTC, the pilot contacted Sentani Tower, requested engine start and clearance to fly to Ninia, which was approved. At 0021 UTC, the pilot reported ready for departure. The controller instructed the pilot to hold while an aircraft took off from Sentani Airport. At 0024 UTC, takeoff clearance was given with traffic information, and the pilot was told to report after becoming airborne. At 0027 UTC, the controller had not received a report from PK-SDF and attempted to call without response. After observing Doyo Baru area without seeing the aircraft, the controller reported to the Chief Section of Sentani Tower Air Navigation. At 0030 UTC, the Chief Section contacted an Indonesian Adventist Aviation pilot in Doyo Baru, who confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an accident during takeoff.
Rescue and Injuries
An engineer who went to the accident site saw white smoke coming from the side of a river, where the aircraft was located. Upon arrival, he found Adventist staff and local people extinguishing a fire on the aircraft engine with water and two fire extinguishers, while others moved passengers from the wreckage. Two occupants, including the pilot, were fatally injured. Five other passengers suffered serious injuries. All occupants were taken to Yowari Hospital (Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah – RSUD Yowari).
Probable Cause
The official investigation identified contributing factors: the aircraft was not in the correct takeoff configuration; the wing flaps were found at approximately 6° position during impact, while 20° was required. Additionally, the actions taken to recover the situation, including selection of emergency power and flap adjustment, were not proper for the particular condition.